himself to us. We cannot imitate what we do not know. Mysteries of the Divine nature must <'Ve.r lie beyond our sight. Ne,·erthcless, something real about God we <',o know. For we b:u·e seen Christ, nnd he who sees Christ sees God (John _xiv. 9). II. I:s WHAT RESPECTS WE ARE TO BECOME IllITATORS OF Goo. \Ve cannot attain fo his almighty energy nor to his unfathomable wisdom. Yet we may imitate the me~bc,d of t.lie,,ie Didne attributes in the e:i;:ercise of corresponding human qualities. Ft:t the re;embhmce to G,:,d that is both most important and most attainable is moral ,,::o.l spiritual likene,:s in cbancter and conduct, Consider especially in what points wo ;11,J:,-t need to bo like God. 1. Purity. 2. Truth. 3. Generous giving. There arc men who are s.lways grasping for themselves, and others who distribute abroad. 'fhe btler arc like ~ who is ever raying out blessings. 4. Forbearance. In nothlng do we more need to 1ruirote God than in his gentleness with sinners, his long~sufferincr patience, and his forgiving mercy. 5. Love. This is nearest to the heart and very being of Go<l, for God is love. He who loves his kind most widely and warmly is likest God (see ver. 2). III. WHY WE SHour.o llE IllITATORS OF Gon. 1. It is our natural duty. Nothing short of tbis will satisfy the claims of right. It is not enough that we follow ,the best men and conform with the utmost propriety to the pious fashions of the times, nor even that we obey our own consciences. \Ve have to make our conduct agree with God's conscience. Duty is infinite-a ceaseless climbing to higher and yet hlghcr regions of holiness. We cannot reach the pinnacle of perfection at once, and we are not guilty for not doing what lies beyond our present powers. But we are blameworthyif.we,aim at less than perfection and if we ever rest contented with any lower stage of. progress., "Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"·(Matt. v. 48). ,2.. 1Ve are under obligations of gratitude to become imitators of God. The word" therefore" calls our attention to these obligations. It points back to the previous words, wherein we are exhorted to forgive one another, even as God also in Christ forgave ,us. 3. Our i,i,;hest blessedness will be found in our resemblance to God. He is ever blessed. E~·erything ungodlike mnst be ultimately a source of pain and death. Though the imit.ation of God begins in toil and sacrifice, it grows into the: deepest peace and the richest gJ.arlness. IV. BY WR.AT :IIElllS WE l[AY llECOKE IMITATORS OF Goo. 1. Worship. Heathen gods are objective representations, and even monstrous exaggerations, of the.natures of their devotees. Such gods can have no good moral influence. But God, as ,he is revealed in Christ, is infinitely above us, and full of wonderful beauty and ·attraction. As we gaze upon his glory in rapt devotion we arc changed into his likeness. We all imitate, consciously or unconsciously, what we admire .. •When we see a ~reat picture we wish to paint; when we enjoy good music we desire t<;> produce it; when we see noble deeds we are fired to emulate them, 2. Meditation. As St. Francis is said to have received the wounds of Christ on his own person by ~ntense meditation on them, we may receive the spiritual likeness of our Lord-a more profitable resemblance-by contemplating and dwelling in the spirit of his life. 'l'hen also ~e shall hav:e the like- ness of God. He who is nearest to God in prayer and- communion grows likest God. 3. Obedi.ent action. We must do Divine deeds of holiness and charity if we woul<i ba-:-e the character that a habit of such deeds begcts. All this God will supplement a~,c rivify by the in.b-piration of his Holy Spirit breathing his own life and likenes11 i:Jv, DI!. . Y. Ix ll"BAT SPIE1T WE ABB TO BEOOHE DDTATOBB OF Goo. "As beloved children." LL•..;s h,-t·ed children venerate and imitate their parents. Here is no room for spiritual pricie. For when we l05e the childlike spirit we fall away from the imitation of God. 'lru:y ~ho imitate God m011t truly are most simple and childlike, and that spirit of trust in a lovirig parent which is the highest educational influenco in the child, ml1Bt be in us 1i we w0uld be good imitators of God.-W. F. A.
Ver. 2.-Tl,e sacrifice of Ghrist. I. THE !IAOBIFICE OF CHRIST WAB VOLUNTABY1 He gave himself. He said he had power-right as well as ability-to lay down his lifo (John L 18). Had the sacrifice of Christ not been the free giving of himself, it would have been like the human saerificcs of the heathen-BI fearful deed in, those who slew him and of no import to any one elRe. The esscir.ce,ofthe sacrifice, all that gavo to it err. v. 1-33.J 'rHE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. 251